Job Discussion Forums

[Gordon]

American universities are just too expensive. I was looking at SIT. Great program, but I believe it would have cost $40,000 US and that doesn't include the required trips to Vermont. Who can afford that or pay that off on a teacher's salary?

[denise]

My MA cost about $40,000 too. I still think that my school was the right one for me, but damn, it's outrageous! I've been thinking about bud's last post. Having a school with name recognition (for which you pay a hefty fee!) does not necessarily make you a better teacher. It's quite possible to excel as a student and flounder as a teacher--back to the whole debate about whether good teachers are just born good or are trained well (nature vs. nurture?). Name recognition might get you more interviews--it certainly helped me with my current job--but once you're in the classroom, you'd better be able to take care of yourself.

d

[bud]

11

[Will.]

BA Hons French/Spanish/Russian.
PGCE French/Spanish QTS
CELTA.
DELTA.
Basic Skills Teacher training
Lots of training days and weekend and weeklong conferences and stuff
MA in the pipeline but you know the story ... time but no money... money but no time. Procratination verging on the edge of a career.

[Robbo]

I'm not quite there yet but;
Do you have a degree? If all goes to plan B.A from Macquarie University Sydney, Australia

What was your major? Modern History major, Human Geography minor

Celta or esl certificate? Will kick off in February 2005

Do you have a masters? Looking into a distance M.A from University of Technology in Sydney. M.A in Adult Education ahve info for you if you need it.

Also how did you get into the field? I'm a commercial boat skipper on Sydney Harbour. Worked for Club Med in the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland in Australia running their boats in '96. So many Japanese guests and I couldn't say hello. Started learning the basics. Returned to Sydney in 1997 and started studying Japanese in North Sydney and meet Kaori who was returning to Japan to get married. She suggested that there would be spare room at her house for me to homestay complete with job at a local school. Loved Japan but working holiday visa ran out and back to Australia to work. Now working to finish under grad degree.

If this helps-- A B.A in Australia costs $10,500 AUD, $8,122.55 USD, 858,408.25 JPY, or 6,389.95 EUR if you pay upfront. Add 25% for a government loan (called HECS) if you're a permanent resident or Aust. citizen.

A CELTA costs $2750 AUD, $2,127.00 USD, 224,788.38 JPY, or 1,673.51 EUR

Can calculate Pounds and Canadian dollars if needed.
Robbo.

[sojourner]

Roger,

You mentioned that your secondary education involved a "baccalaureate degree".Would that,by any chance,be the "International Baccalaureate" ? In Australia,at many private schools,it appears that many parents are now opting for that programme for their kids,rather than the HSC,VCE,and other State Education Dept Year 12 syllabi (sp?).

You also mentioned that you had completed some TESL training at a "very liberal and private school of applied linguistics".I'm intrigued ! Was this school attached to a university? By "liberal" ,are you referring to their teaching methodology,or to their theories regarding linguistics,SLA,etc? One of the subjects that I'll be doing this semester will be on SLA theory - so,I'm on the look-out for any theories that may not necessarily be covered in my course !

- - - - - - -

Rhonda,

Why do you think that you are "too old" to do a TESL course ? I'm in roughly the same age bracket as yourself,and when I undertook my CELTA training about three years ago,there were three people in my group older than myself.Also,I am now half way through a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics,at UNE.When you return to Aust, it might be a good idea to consider doing a CELTA or Trinity course - apart from giving you a few good ideas to compliment your valuable on - the - job chalk-face experience,it will give you a definite competive edge over the young unqualified bods who have their eyes set on the PRC.

I think that it is very sad that many over-40 Australians consider that they are "over the hill" regarding further education and the learning of new skills.I vividly recall my experience,a few years ago, as an employment officer in the (now defunct) CES,on the Gold Coast,dealing with middle-aged male clients; and their comments, to the affect,that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" - very depressing ! Yet, from my experience,it would appear that middle aged female clients had a far more positive attitude towards training and education .

Regards,

Peter

[Ka-CHING!]

B.A. English

TESOL certificate

M.Ed. TSL

I'm now looking at further studies in the States and holy COW are you right about American tuition. Yikes. I did my master's at U of Southern Queensland and tuition and fees cost less than USD 10, 000. Of course, there were living expenses as well but the cost of living was comparable to Canada. I had been able to save enough money to live for a year on campus and study full-time.

[MindTraveller]

BA Psychology/Rhetoric (writing)

TESL courses from various colleges, but need more

MFA, 2-year program, in Creative Writing (Univ. of British Columbia)

French: Lots of trying to learn French: college courses; 40-hour a week, one month course in France; 20 hours a week for a month in Lyon and Grenoble; 2 or three hours a week for a month in Seoul. Learned the Chinese phonetic alphabet in Taiwan

Teaching Credential/License: Returned to college at 40 to get a teaching credential in English 4-12, got ESL and psychology added to my license.

I quit a university teaching job in a remote area of Michigan (as isolated, in many ways as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia) to write a novel I had started earlier. A friend from college invited me out to Los Angeles. I finished the novel in 2 more years, had an agent the 3rd year but it didn't sell. I wanted to return to teaching, and the only college that offered me a job was King Saud University - a place no tourists were allowed to enter! Hey, that was exotic enough for me, and the rest is my-story.

[eslandflteacher]

Please answer the following questions:

Do you have a degree?
Yes, several. BA, BA, MA, MEd, MProf., EdS

What was your major?
History, Near Eastern studies, Education, TESOL, Intercultural studies, language pedagogy

Celta or esl certificate?
None, Just MEd

Do you have a masters?
Yep. See above.

Also how did you get into the field?
Being an intercultural liaison.

[FGT]

Sorry, I'm not as well educated as eslandeflteacher, I have no MAs etc, I don't understand what an "intercultural liaison" is? Am I stupid? Maybe. But to little me, with my little brain, you can't BE one; though perhaps you could be an intercultural liaison officer (or similar) or you could work IN international liaison. Can somebody educate me on this?

[fat_chris]

BA in German, minor in History (concentration in European history)

No TEFL certificate

MA in German

I got involved in the field because I wanted to live abroad and learn foreign languages. I have participated in programs that have sponsored my visa and paid my way (Fulbright Commission in Austria, Peace Corps in China).

Regarding tuition in the States, it can be expensive. The trick is, particularly for graduate studies, to find programs that will pay your way (tuition waiver and TAship for living expenses). I didn't pay a dime for my MA in German.

[shmooj]

[eslandflteacher]

Greetings,

I would be glad to share. Anything you wish to talk about?

K